SACRAMENTO, CA - A litter of 4-week-old kittens almost met a singular fate Saturday morning as they were allegedly left in a gutter in front of the Sacramento City Animal Shelter and run over by the person who left them.

"I don't understand," said shelter manager Gina Knepp. "Our reception building opens at 9 am. It was already 10 am when this happened. So, we were open and instead of walking them in the building 30 yards away, he opted to drop them off in the gutter and take off without alerting anybody that they were out here."

According to a witnesses, a man in a late 90's, silver, Honda 4-door sedan dropped off the kittens in the gutter and then allegedly backed up over them.

Two of the kittens died as a result. The remaining six are being kept at the shelter. They will be fostered out until they reach an appropriate age for adoption.

Animal Control Officers are investigating. If the man is caught, he could face felony animal cruelty charges and face up to a year in jail.